Zheng Qinwen of the Chinese mainland triumphed over Italy's Jasmine Paolini with a decisive 6-1, 6-1 victory at the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This win propels Zheng into the semifinals of the prestigious tournament.
Joining Li Na as the only players from the Chinese mainland to reach the women's singles semifinals at the WTA Finals, Zheng's achievement marks a significant milestone since 2013.
Approaching the competition with unwavering confidence and aggressive play, Zheng dominated her third match in the Purple Group. She broke Paolini three times in the first set and secured a quick victory by delivering a love game in the sixth.
In the second set, Paolini struggled to mount a strong defense, conceding two breaks and trailing 5-1. Although Paolini made a valiant effort to tie the seventh game at 40-40, Zheng responded swiftly with two powerful serves, including an ace that sealed the match.
\"I am really proud that I can make it because I didn't know what would happen when I came to this WTA Finals,\" Zheng expressed post-match. \"It's my first time. So I just told myself to enjoy it. Actually, I played in a very difficult group. I want to thank the fans who came to watch me today.\"
Reference(s):
Zheng Qinwen beats Jasmine Paolini, reaches WTA Finals last four
cgtn.com
